Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-17
ON THE BEACH.
Life On the Sand at Santa
Monica.
A BACHELORS HOUSE
The Preparation at Dinner by q
Team of N0vices.

mad, amlu tne SecluSlOn OF camp lie
Eighteen miles from Los Angeles i
situated the picturesque little seasid,
resort of Santa Monica. Its advan
tageous location, with its high majesti
looking cliffs, luxuriant growth 0
waving foliage, and broad expanse o
level beach, give to it a xorld-wid,
reputation. At the present time
along the beach extending for fully ,
mile, is long line Of tents of every
shape, size and description. Anon,
them are few wooden "houses,
which loom up like palaces
beside shanties. Throughout the
day the doors are fluns
wide open, and in front many of the
fair sex can be seen seated beneath
huge sun-bonnets or ''race-track
hats" enjoying the sea breeze as it is
waited in from the ocean, and at the
same time deriving considerable salts.
faction from observing the antics Of
their dirty-faced little ones playing in
the sand. On last Wednesday even.
ing it was the good fortune of a HER
AID reporter to receive an invitation
from the owner of one of the wooden
houses on the Santa Monica beach to
go down with him and spend the
night. After making a tour of the
town and notifying all his cred
itors that he was only going
away for few hours, and not to be
uneasy in consequence. The O'Clock
train was made. The newspaper man
and his friend were loaded down with
huge bundles of edibles, and both
looked very much like the heads of
large families going home fully
equipped ON lodge night, so as to make
a favorable impression upon their
wives. The train was crowded with
gentlemen, whose daily labors being
ended, had laid aside all their cares
and thoughts OF "booms" and corner
lots. Merriment ruled supreme, and
many were the Jokes that in
termingle1 with the dense smoke
which filled the smoking car.
Arriving at Santa Monica, the
hotel on the cliff was boldly
entered, and the barkeeper's acquaint-
ance was Immediately made. As a
result several bottles of medicine"
found their way into the side coat
pockets of the jolly pair. A horse car
was boarded, and in a few minutes
the long, steep steps leading to the
beach were reached. The ascent was
made after considerable putting and
blowing on the part of the newspaper
mans corpulent companion. 1t occu-
pied but seconds time to open the
front door of the house, which was to
afford the nights shelter. When it
swung upon its hinges a bachelors q
den in all its disorder presented itself
to full view. The room was about
twenty feet long and ten fee.
wide, with rather high Ceiling
if such it might be called, from the
rafters of which suspended weeks
washing, including all the way from
bathing suits to dish rags of the stiff
and black variety. In the room was
one genuine bedstead, the clothes of
which comprised a bundle of straw
for a pillow and an old comforter and
several grain sacks sewn together for
q spread. They lay half on the floor
and half in pail of water which stood
beside it. Two other beds made of
mattresses, to which we're nailed four
pieces of scantling for legs, were also
in the place. On one side of the
room was nailed wide piece of rough
redwood board, which served the dual
purpose of bureau and kitchen
table. On that table disorder
reigned supreme. About weeks
dirty dishes were spread out at full
length, but they were almost fully
hidden from view by delegation OF
flies which had evidently fallen to
sleep from exhaustion. A full set of
toilet articles were hung up on the
floor, intermingled with several pairs
of pantaloons, a couple of coats, GUS
pidor upside down, an old clock, a
huge carving-knife and a looking
glass. On the walls were posted q
number of comic pictures. which the
owner, with feeling of pride, pointed
to and explained were indica-
tive of refined TASTE, After
taking in the situation, the
thought occurred to the scribe
that he was hungry. and that
dinner would never be prepared bysit-
ting down. He and his companion
took off their coats and after an hours
hard work the house was finally tidied
30 that standing-room was no longer
at a premium. The dishes were all
thrown into coal-oil can and taken
out on the beach back of the house, a
hose was connected with the hydrant
and the reporter held the nozzle and
directed steady stream in the direc-
ton of the improvised dish-pan. He
then went into the house in search OF
a dish-towel with wlich to polish of
the plates. One could not be found,
however, so compromise was
made on newspaper. He returned
and was Mortified to find that an ugly
yellow dog was busily engaged in
wiping the plates. Nothing daunted
the djshpan was carried into the
house and the china was strung out on
the bed to drain while dinner was be-
ing prepared. The coal oil stove was
next investigated and to the amaze
ment Of the team it was found that il
needed filling. The coal oil can was
iound in pitiable state OF emptiness
The owner of the ranch cast a fal
away look at the elegant porterhoust
steak spread on the floor for which he
had paid 60 cents, but the newspape
man seized u perfume bottle
and went out to borrow som,
fuel for that stove. Afte
walking quite distance tent wa
found, inside of which a lamp wa
burning, and with the usual conf
dence of his profession, he walked i
and asked for some coaloil. 1t wa
given with unusual generosity by tn
owner of the tent. The stove wa
filed up and match was touched t
the wick, but it was no 60. Th
wicks had burned out and again tn
steak was placed in dangerous posi-
ton. An old sock was found unde
the bed and it was put in as awicl
In a minute a blaze lighted up th
stove, on top of which a large bake